It was years ago when I ran across Katherine Kurtz's Deryni novels. Oddly, I never read the first trilogy...I think as I get older I don't enjoy as much as I once might have stories of deception and the machinations of those who use lies, deception, and hatred to further their ends. Don't get me wrong, I know it goes on. It's probably the most common of "human activities". I didn't say I don't see it, I just said, it's not my chosen "mode of literary enjoyment".Here we are treated throughout the book to a parade of dupes who, when given a lie that supports their own prejudice/s are quite happy to commit homicide. Not fun.About 200 years before the novel opens, the Deryni who have been the lands overlords and have ruled the "humans" of Gwynedd with the proverbial iron hand (lacking any velvet glove) had been overthrown, freeing humans. The Deryni are a race of apparently somewhat telepathic and magic using abilities. Other than that, they seem pretty much human (as opposed to elves without pointy ears). There are good and bad among Deryni and human. When the Deryni overlords are finally overthrown by the humans it is with the help of Camber of Culdi. Camber also discovers that with "certain actions" humans can also have the full range of magic powers exercised by the Deryni. After the humans are/were freed they rejoiced and there was a time (apparently 10 to 15 years) when the Deryni people (the people other than the overlords) and the humans worked and lived together in peace. Camber was made a Saint by the church (loosely...very loosely based on the medieval Roman church). Soon however superstitious fears, bigotry, misunderstandings and simple prejudice brought about a persecution of the Dreyni people. At the time of the book, the "church" as a whole is still condemning of Deryni because of (it is claimed) the use of magic. Camber's Sainthood has been revoked and persecution is still common.The Story follows the events which take place after Brion the King of Gwynedd is murdered and his son Kelson is to take the throne. A Deryni sorceress (Charissa) intends to "take back" the crown through a magical challenge to Kelson at his coronation. As the "special power" of the kings of Gwynedd had sufficed for Brion to defeat Charissa's father, she plots to keep Kelson from receiving those powers. This isn't a bad book. The read can pull you in a bit and while there are some things I find annoying it is well done. I'll discuss a couple of things a bit more below the spoiler warning.(view spoiler)[ What did I find annoying? Well, lets see. "Here Your Majesty, have a drink of wine from this bottle that was just given to me by a strange woman whom I've never seen before and know nothing about." "OH! THE KING HAS FALLEN OFF HIS HORSE! Look, his heart has stopped for no apparent reason. It must be the fault of Morgan who isn't even here with us.... he is half Deryni." Please. What kind of idiot drinks from a bottle given to him by a stranger for no apparent reason, much less gives it to the KING? Oh...he was under a spell. Well, Brion wasn't. The book has several situations like this some more or less difficult to swallow. The final scene or confrontation in the book takes place with the sorceress Charissa. Kelson hasn't received Brion's power and now "things look bad". The last step in the ritual didn't work...what could they have done wrong. Morgan's ring wasn't "the Defender's seal". What could The Defender's seal be?!?!?I suspect no one "outside the book" had any doubt what the Defender's Seal would be. Kurtz makes it so clear in the story so obvious it seems everything's done except having it written across the sky in clouds.There's more but you get the idea, it's a good book slightly flawed and I wasn't all that taken with it though I didn't dislike it either. (hide spoiler)]
The series is 16 books is deep and growing - and it's wonderful. Not light reading - very deep historical fantasy text - and brilliantly done by a woman who was a church historian for some 20 years.There are 14 books in the main cannon (so far - and a 15th on the way) - 6 in the "historical" time period and 8 in the "now" - that is, the series is about the world of the Deryni - consider: What if earth had 2 species develop side by side - one that had all those magical/esper abilities and one that didn't? What if we met this world at about the 14th century with the Catholic Church in dominance in the West? What if we looked at this world through the lens of 200 years of history? What if Katherine Kurtz wrote it?Why you'd have a brilliantly written series of stories detailing the History of the Deryni. We meet the folk of the East - in the "modern" times - and they've a much more reasonable approach than our Western purges and interregnums - tho they certainly have their own troubles :>.The series is brilliant - Camber and Kelson the "Big Protagonists" - each in their own time - the most recent 2 books (and the 3rd in that trilogy, on it's way) focus on Morgan - the 2nd major player in the "modern" times.The two other books - a collection of shorts in the universe and "The Magic of the Deryni" are wonderful additions to the main storyline.I've read the series at least 3 times now - and ALWAYS enjoy going back for more. The haunting question: should you read it in Historical Order or in Publication Order? There are arguments on both sides, but I find it most satisfying to read in Historical Order, beginning with the Camber of Culdi series. But then, I'm a history nut ;>.
What do You think about Deryni Rising (1976)?
Commento alla Trilogia: Unico erede di Re Brion, avvelenato dalla maga Charissa durante una battuta di caccia, il Principe Kelson, ormai maggiorenne, si prepara a governare sugli Undici Regni. Ma Charissa, assetata di potere e vendetta, non gli concede tregua, e perché Kelson la possa affrontare in un duello di magia è necessario che un grande potere osteggiato dalla Chiesa - il potere Deryni - gli venga tramandato dal padre defunto la notte che precede l'incoronazione. Ma il rito di trapasso è
—Federica Leva
I love it!It's pretty simple and straight forward fantasy but I don't care. I've been captivated from the first pages on and at times I had trouble to put the book down when I had to.My favourite characters is Morgan. He hits so many buttons of mine. Outsider/outcast finding a father figure and best friend who gets killed and know he is the father figure/best friend of the son. He is still an outsider due to his powers/heritage and people give him their cold shoulders - and he still saves their
—Saphirablue
Not bad. I'd definitely like to read more. It's her first book, apparently, so the writing and characterization can get a little rough, and I honestly don't think she knows how to write men. The TWO female characters seem to embody only bad female archetypes, while the various male characters...er...embody the remaining female archetypes; the males ALL seemed to be about one heartbeat away from either kissing each other, scratching each others' eyes out, or putting their hair up in curlers and having a pillow-fight. It was really odd and clearly wasn't deliberate, so I'm hoping she learned to write both sexes better in the subsequent volumes. The fact that they all seem to be about males does fill me with a nameless dread, however.Also, the constant politicking and framing of certain characters for crimes they had not committed got old VERY quickly. It happens about ten times throughout the novel, and by about the fifth time I was sick of it. After that, I started finding it hilarious. The race-hatred which under-girds the characters' willingness to believe lies about the framed parties is definitely a feature worth exploring and, to her credit, she does manage to show it FAR more than tell it. But again, after the fifth time it started to just feel silly. In the end, though, I did think it was a neat little book. The pacing was brisk, the setting was interesting, the author's own voice was unobtrusive, and I'm willing to cut her some slack because it's her first novel. I'll pick up the second in the series soon.
—[Name Redacted]
